RV dumps – the dirty little secret of living in a van

Better to bury it yourself Knowing where to legally dump wastewater is an important part of living in an RV, especially for dry campers, a.k.a. “boondockers.” If you prefer remote natural settings to developed campgrounds your choices are either to dig a hole, or to dispose of your waste legally at a later date. State campgrounds in the US charge a day-use rate, usually between $5 and $10. This allows RV owners to empty their holding tanks, fill a fresh water tank and take a hot shower. What if, however, you discover there are no open RV campgrounds or the local highway rest stop has closed its dump station? How do you find one while traveling? “It’s pretty easy,” said Natalie Vartanian of “Girls Gone Moto” (www.girlsgonemoto.com ). In 2011, Vartanian, Sally Hope and Kathryn Lejeune of the San Francisco Bay area, traveled throughout the U.S. in an almost vintage motor home...